Combined holdback and whiffletree



No. elapse. Paten td Dec. 20, I898. w. B'. FROST. COMBINED HOLDBACK ANDWHIFFLETR EE.

(Application filed Dec. 27, 1897.)

2 Sheds-Shea! I.

(No Model.)

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W KF-Fmfi BY M215 No. 616,098. Patented Dec. 20, I898. W. B. FROST.

COMBINED HULDBACK AND W'HIFFLETBEE.

(Application filed Dac. 27, 1897.) (N0 Model.) 2 shea -Sheet 2.

v I M;

NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

l/VILLIAM B. FROST, OF MAUMEE, OHIO.

COMBINED HOLDBACK AND WHIFFLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,098, dated December20, 1898.

Application filed December 2'7, 1897. Serial No. 663,643. (No model.) I

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. FROST, a citizen of the United States,residing at Maumee, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined I-Ioldbackand lVhiffletree, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention is a combined holdback and singletree constructed andarranged to receive the draft strain exerted in pulling the vehicle andalso to receive the back pressure in stopping or in backing, furnishingin one device means for receiving the power exerted for both suchpurposes.

The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinationsof parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improvement. Fig.2 is a rear perspective view thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section.Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the adjustable supporting devices in detail,and Fig. 6 shows the improvement applied to a pole.

The improvement may be used either in single'or double harness, beingapplied in both instances to a cross-bar or supp0rt,which in doubleteams is the doubletree and in single teams is the usual cross-barconnecting the thills.

My improved device is in the construction shown formed with the archedsingletree A, which is pivoted between its ends at B and has itsextremities carried forward and united with the ends of thebreeching-piece O, which is arched to receive back pressure when thehorse is backed or is holding back, as in descending a grade, orstopping the vehicle, the pivoting of the combined device at Bpermitting the proper application of the back pressure for the purposedesired. This breeching-piece is rounded in cross-section on its frontside to adapt it for use in receiving the back pressure and may be ofwood or other suitable material or may be lined or finished to suit thetaste of the purchaser or the particular kind of work for which it maybe intended. In this connection it may be stated that the improvement iscapable of use in light-draft vehicles, as well as for heavier use,

and may be manufactured in different styles to suit the demands of thetrade. I

At its forward ends, which curve and extend forward, as shown, thecombined holdback and singletree is provided with means for theconnection of the traces, which may be the loops E and the buttons F ormay be of other suitable construction desired.

In pivoting the singletree it is preferred to accomplish it by meanswhich permit the ready detachment of the singletree from its support andalso the adjustment of the improved device higher or lower to adapt itto the horse being driven. As shown and as preferred, this is effectedby means of a socket-tube G, threaded into a base-plate H, secured tothe singletree, such tube G being threaded internally and receiving athreaded stem I on a base-plate I upon the cross-bar. This constructionpermits the singletree to swing from side to side and also the verticaladjustment of said singletree for any desired purpose. For extremedifference in height different socket-tubes may be interchangeably usedas desired.

My invention possesses numerous advantages, among which may be mentionedthe saving of time in hitching and unhitching, as there are noholdback-straps to fasten or unfasten or to break, nor are there anyshaftloops required. The invention also saves twenty-eight inches inlength of each trace in double or single harness and does away with thenecessity of the breeching, hip, and holdback straps. The improveddevice is much more comfortable to the horse, for it does not touch himonly when necessary, as in stopping, holding back, or backing up, whilethe ordinary breeching strikes the horse at every move he makes.Furthermore, the hind quarters are not drawn together, as is the casewith the breeching, which in many instances causes the horse tointerfere. As the holdback or breeching piece is not in contact with thehorse exceptwhen necessary, all chafing is avoided, and by stopping orbacking in the manner described it is also easier on the girth-strap andhorse, as all the strain in holding back or stopping comes at thecross-bar instead of two-thirds the way up the shaft. Consequently thereis less uplift and strain. The improvement is also more durable than theusual breeching and is consequently much cheaper to the consumer, alsosaving a great deal of harness-cleaning of the dirtiest part of theharness. When used on doubletrees, all the strain in holding back istaken ofi the end of the pole and applied directly to the doubletree,thestrain being thereby relieved from the neck-yoke and breast-strap andmaking it much easier on the horses neck; also, in the use of theimprovement with double teams turning is more easily accomplished, as myimproved holdback singletree will take the outside horse on the quarterin the swing, and the vehicle will be turned easier than when suchoperation is effected almost entirely by the neck-yoke, thereby savingthe springing and breaking of poles. The forward curving or arching ofthe doubletree not only results in a saving in the length of the traces,but also will not strike the wheel in turning or when one horse startsahead of the other.

lVhile the special construction as shown is preferred, it will beobvious that I do not desire to be limited specifically thereto in thebroad features of my invention.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. A combined holdback and sin gletree having an arched or a concavefront side to receive the back pressure of the horse and provided at itsends with means for the connection of the traces,substantially asdescribed.

2. A combined holdback and sin gletree pivoted between its ends wherebyit can resist back pressure and can swing laterally and having an archedor concave breeching-piece substantially as described.

3. A combined holdback and singletree consisting of the archedsingletree pivoted between its ends and the arched breechingpiecesecured at its ends to the singletree and provided at its ends withmeans for the connection of the traces substantially as shown anddescribed.

4. A combined holdback and singletree comprising the arched singletreeand the arched breeching-piece united at their ends and arranged andadapted for operation substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination of the cross-bar or support, the threaded stemmounted thereon and threaded externally, the sin gletree having anattached breeching-piece and the threaded socket-tube depending from thesin gletree and threaded onto the threaded stem substantially asdescribed.

6. A combined holdback and singletree consisting of the singletree andthe holdback attached to and made the front part of the singletreewhereby the parts will brace each other substantially as shown anddescribed.

\VILLIAM B. FROST.

Witnesses:

JAMES KERR, WM. S. SWAN.

